Self-sealing bag for separating dust from an air stream



May 13, 1952 M c DIPPEL 2,596,807

SELF-SEALING B'AG FOR SEPARATING DUST FROM AN AIR STREAM Filed April 5, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

MURIEL a DIPPEL BYW% M ATTORNEY.

y 13, 1952 M. c. DIPPEL 2,596,807

SELF-SEALING BAG FOR SEPARATING DUST FROM AN AIR STREAM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5, 1949 INVENTOR.

MURIEL C DIPPEL ATTORNEY:

y 1952 M. c. DIPPEL 2,596,807

SELF-SEALING BAG FOR SEPARATING DUST FROM AN AIR STREAM v Filed April 5, 9 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 fly. 6

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEK Patented May 13, 1952 UNITED; STATES PATENT oFFics SELF- SEALING :BAG FOR SEPARATING DUST FROM-AN AIR STREAM .Muriel C. Dippel, Stamford, Conn., assignorto Electrolux Corporation, 01d Greenwich, Conn a corporation of Delaware Application April 5, 1949, Serial No. 85,491

'iClaims. 1,

This invention relates to a self-sealing container, and more particularly to a dust collecting device adapted for use in a vacuum. cleaner.

Heretofore a number of different devices have been proposed forseparating entrainedparticles from the-suction current of cleaning air used in the operation of the conventional type of vacuum cleaner. Although a cloth bag has been almost universally used in the past, more recently a modified disposable paper receptacle pervious to air but impervious to dust, lint, hair, threads andthe like has met with considerable public acceptance. However, many difficulties' have accompanied the adoption of the more obvious modifications of this common paper bagtype of dust receptacle. Such problems as for example excessive cost, undue complexity of structure, dii-, ficulty of removal-of contaminated bags or containers filled with dirt, etc., have arisen.

In view of this ineffective adaptation of dust containers as heretofore devised to solve this particular problem, it is an object of this'invention to provide a low cost disposable paper container which makes possible the most efiicicnt collection, and rapid and easy disposal of dust and dirt collected inthe conventional types of so-called vacuum or suction cleaningmachines.

In addition to such an economical and convenient solution for the conventional cleaning problem, a still further object hereof is to provide ahighly flexible selectively pervious dust containerwhichis readily-foldable or collapsible to occupy the least possible space andthus facilitate storage in an easily accessible place, on

the cleaner if necessary, and to provide'such a container as is readily extensible into fully opened condition in and of itself and solely by initiating vacuum cleaner operation after being once mounted and sealed inposition within the cleaner.

Another object is to provide such aself-opem ticularly when. considered in conjunction with.

the appended drawings forming a part of this disclosure and in. which:

Figure 1 is aside view, partly in section and with. another part of the outer casing broken away, showing a dust. collecting container. in

2 accordance with this invention in position=- in a tanktype vacuum cleaner;

Figure 2 is a side view of the dust collecting container shown in Fig. l, ina fully extended condition;

Figure. 3 is a side view of the same dust collecting container shown in Fig. 2, but in a fully collapsed and folded condition suitable for storage? Figure 4' is a perspective view of theinterior of a fully extended container with part of the pervious materialforming the dust storage portion of the container torn away in order to show more clearly the inner construction of one mod-- ification embodying the novel self-opening and self-sealing principles disclosed and described herein;

Figure 5 is a perspective view similar-to that shown in Fig. 4, but showing the dust conveying nozzle extending through the pressure distended and expandedly opened resilient sealing element incorporated in this embodiment of the invention and further showing the inner resilient-sealing flap in upwardly diverted position so that dirt-laden air can be introduced directly intothe interior of the container;

Figure 6 shows thesealing member in full view before folding the inner sealing flap into final position;

Figure 'Tshowsthe inner sealing flap of Fig; 6 in position and the entire sealing unit ready'for mounting over the opening in a dust container ba Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4 prior to the insertion of the dust conveying nozzle through the sealing. member; and

Figure 9'is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 9'-9 of Fig. 5 showing the relationship of the various elements of the nozzle and sealing member after insertion, of the nozzle into, the bag interior.

Referring now more particularly to the figures and especially to Fig. 1, a conventional tank type F of vacuum cleaner l0 isshown fitted with a dust collecting bag I l embodying structure in accordance with this invention, the dust bag being placed in operative position within the cleaner casing l2. The bag or container II is held in place by the insertion of the bag and the placement of the." end plate member or disc 20 of dust bag. II onto a seat l3 formed in flange M which in turn is1a part of cleaner casing l2. A removable cover l5 keeps the leftehand end of the casing 12 closed and seals the dust bag I l within body chamber H in dust collecting position within seat l3. Dust inlet passage IE, to the outer end of which a flexible dust collecting hose is connectable, has an inner end |8 forming a nozzle which extends some distance into the interior oidust bag through an opening or centrally located aperture 2|, Fig. 4, cut in end plate 20. A motor fan unit IS in the opposite end of the body chamber completes the vacuum cleaner assembly.

Plate member 20 is preferably formed of relatively stiff material to which the flexible side walls 22 of dust bag II are secured. It is firmly clamped within seat I3 by cover or closure member when the latter is locked in place. Dustladen air is then conveyed directly into the interior of bag H, the air passing through the porous walls 22 of the container or dust bag while the entrained dirt is filtered out and remains entrapped within the bag The Walls of the container are preferably flexible and foldable in the conventional manner for convenient packaging and storage, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The bottom (left end in Fig. 2) of the bag is adhesively or otherwise secured to the inner side of end plate 29 and has a hole, opening or aperture 25, Fig. 4, coextensive with or slightly larger than that cut in end plate 28, for the facile insertion therethrough of nozzle Hi. The open end of bag I opposite the end secured to disc 20, is closed in any suitable manner. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 this closure is effected by folding over, gluing or sewing the four side walls together across this open end when the container is in collapsed condition, as shown at 26.

As is well known, a number of different devices have been heretofore suggested for sealing bags, both self-sealing devices and others, viz., folded paper flaps, distensible rubber sheets, interleaved iris, type elements, etc., among various others. However, such devices have been both complex and expensive. Frequently they have proved ineffective in practice, many operated only under small pressure leaks, while still others failed to retain small dust particles.

The closure element shown in detail in Figs. 4 to 9 and more particularly the subject-matter of this invention is a highly effective and eflicient self-opening and self-closing sealing device- It includes a distensible member 36, Fig. 4, originally of rectangular shape having a lower area of substantially square configuration in the center of which is a hole or aperture 3| punched therethrough. The upper fiap portion 32 is folded down on line 35 so as to overlap the center opening 3|, as shown in Fig. 7. This folded unit is then adhesively or otherwise secured to the outer face of disc 20, in sealing orientation with respect to opening 2|, the downwardly folded flap being immediately adjacent and partially covering the opening 2|, see Figs. 4 and 8.

By the term distensible as used with reference to member 30 is meant any rubber-like material, one that is stretchable and returnable upon release substantially to its former size as contrasted to a foldable material which folds and/ or unfolds.

In operation, responsive to the pressure exerted by the insertion of a filling tube, l8, Figs. 5 and 9, the aperture 3| in the elastic sealing member 30 expands and opens out to a wider and wider diameter until it finally allows the end of the tube 8 to protrude therethrough. The sealing flap 32 is simultaneously pushed upwards as in Fig. 5 and away from its sealing engagement with the inner side of opening 3|.

When the tube is withdrawn, the aperture 3| in the elastic sealing member 30 returns to its former small diameter Fig. 4 and the flap 32 comes down to seal the opening 3| (see Fig. 8). The entrapped dust 40 behind the flap 32 presses the latter in sealing position.

Although a detailed description has been given with particular reference to a self-sealing bag device and more especially one where a distensible member is used together with an auxiliary closure flap, it is to be understood that the invention may be variously otherwise embodied and that its scope is to be determined solely by the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. A container of flexible material having a plurality of pairs of side walls, material forming an extension at one end of each side wall being folded at right angles to the respective wall when the container is in extended condition to form an end portion, an end plate member of relatively stiff material secured to said end portion, said plate member and end portion having an aperture communicating with the interior of said container, means for closing the aperture in said plate member, said closing means comprising a first sheet of elastic material having an aperture in its surface, and an additional sheet of elastic material forming a sealing flap for said aperture in said closing member.

2. A container of flexible material having a plurality of pairs of side walls, material forming an extension at one, end of each side wall being folded at right angles to the respective wall when the container is in extended condition to form an end portion, an end plate member of relatively stiff material secured to said end portion, said plate member and end portion having an aperture communicating with the interior of said container, means for closing the aperture in said plate member, said closing means comprising a sheet of elastic material having an aperture in its surface an a portion thereof folded over on itself 'to form a sealing flap for said aperture in said closing member.

3. A container of flexible material having a plurality of pairs of side walls, material forming an extension at one end of each side wall being folded at right angles to the respective wall when the container is in extended condition to form an end portion, an end plate member of relatively stiff material secured to said end portion, said plate member and end portion having an opening communicating with the interior of said container, means for closing the opening in said plate member, said closing means compris-' ing a first sheet of elastic material having an aperture in its surface, and an additional sheet of material extending over a portion of said opening to form a partial closure therefor, said additional sheet overlapping the aperture in the elastic sheet material to form a complete closure for said aperture.

4. A container of flexible material having a plurality of pairs of side walls, material forming an extension at one end of each side wall being folded at right angles to the respective wall when the container is in extended condition to form an end portion, an end plate member of rela tively stiff material secured to said end portion;

rial extending over a portion of said opening in' said plate member, said additional sheet overlapping the aperture in the elastic sheet material to form a complete closure for said aperture.

5. A disposable dust bag for separating and collecting dust from the air stream of a vacuum cleaner having an inlet tube, said bag having a body of relatively porous pliable material and having a relatively stiff wall portion provided with an opening for the reception of said inlet tube, a thin sheet of stretchable and elastic material secured to said end wall portion and extending over said opening, said sheet being formed with an aperture registering with said opening and normally of substantially less area than the cross-sectional area of said inlet tube, said sheet being stretchable by the insertion oi said inlet tube to enlarge the area of said aperture sufiiciently to receive the tube therethrough, the elasticity of said sheet causing said aperture to return to its normal small area upon the withdrawal of said tube to thereby substantially obstruct the opening in said wall, and a sheet of flexible material normally extending over a portion of said opening and completely covering said aperture when the latter is of normal area.

6. A disposable dust bag for separating and collecting dust from the air stream of a vacuum cleaner having an inlet tube, said bag having a body of relatively porous pliable material and having a relatively stiff wall portion provided with an opening for the reception of said inlet tube, a thin sheet of stretchable and elastic material secured to said wall portion and extending over said opening, said sheet being formed with an aperture registering with said opening and normally having an area substantially less than the cross-sectional area of said inlet tube, said sheet being stretchable by the insertion of said inlet tube into said opening to enlarge the area of said aperture sufficiently to receive the tube therethrough, and a second sheet of stretchable and elastic material secured to said wall portion at opposite sides of said opening and normally extending across a portion of said opening and completely covering said aperture when the latter is of normal area, said second sheet being stretchable by the insertion of said tube into said opening to displace said second sheet to one side of said tube, the elasticity of said sheets, upon the withdrawal of said tube, causing said aperture to return to its normal small area and said second sheet to return to its normal position covering said aperture.

7. A disposable dust bag for separating and collecting dust from the air stream flowing through the inlet tube of a vacuum cleaner, said bag havinga body of relatively porous pliable material with a relatively stiff wall portion having an opening of a size to receive the inlet tube, a thin sheet of stretchable and elastic material secured to said stiil wall portion over said opening and having an aperture in registration with said opening and of a size substantially less than that of the cross-sectional area of said inlet tube, whereby a substantial amount of said material intervenes the peripheries of said aperture and said opening to thereby substantially obstruct said opening, said sheet of material being adapted to be stretched upon the insertion of the inlet tube through said opening and through said aperture and to return to the position obstructing said opening when said inlet tube is withdrawn from said aperture and opening, the stretching of said sheet resulting in the substantial enlargement of said aperture to snugly receive said tube, said sheet of stretchable and elastic material having the aperture, due to the elasticity of the sheet, contracting upon withdrawal of the tube so that the aperture returns to its normal small size, the sheet accordingly substantially obstructing the escape of the contents of the bag when it is in filled condition.

MURIEL C. DIPPEL.

REFEEENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 931,887 Reaney et al Aug. 4, 1909 1,266,482 Kamrass May 14, 1918 1,644,096 Voit Oct. 4, 1927 1,819,421 Kendall Aug. 18, 1931 2,034,217 Verwys Mar. 17, 1936 2,102,035 Rose Dec. 14, 1937 2,297,994 Vellinga Oct. 6, 1942 2,528,332 Bergquist Oct. 31, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 5,274 Australia Dec. 7, 1931 

